Hezbollah denies members captured in Syria

The Lebanese Hezbollah militant group categorically denied on Saturday reports of its members being taken prisoners by armed militants in Syria. In a statement by its media department, Hezbollah said "not a single combatant from our mujahideen had fallen into their hands." "Hezbollah sternly warns against lies orchestrated by hostile Arab and foreign media and urges accuracy in disseminating news relevant to our party," read the statement. The rebel Free Syrian Army claimed Friday that it had captured a number of Hezbollah members in Damascus province following fierce clashes. "The Free (Syrian) Army has seized control of several posts west of Muadhamiyat al-Sham," the opposition Local Coordination Committees, a network of peaceful Syrian activists, said, adding that the rebel forces had detained "a number of members belonging to the Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade and Hezbollah." The Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade, which was established in 2012 to protect Sayyeda Zeinab shrine in Damascus revered by Shiite Muslims, is fighting alongside the Syrian government troops.